Turntable crane



1927' B. F. FITCH TURNTABLE CRANE Filed Feb, 12, 1925 Sheets-Sheet 1'Oct. 18,1927.

B. F. FITCH TURNTABLE CRANE Filed Feb. 12, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG:

7/ FIG.'-8

Oct. 18, 1921. V 1,645,744 B. F. FITCH TURNTABLE CRANE Filed Feb. 12,1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Flex 5 Oct. 18,1927. 1,645,744 B. F. FITCHTURNTABLE CRANE Filed Feb. 12, 19 25 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 we Mag @29Patented Oct. 18, 1927. 1

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN r. FITCH, or GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT.

TURNTABLE CRANE.

Application filed February This invention relates to hoisting andconveying apparatus and is particularly concerned with a crane which isadapted to travelon an overhead track, and tobe used in connection withthe operation of a system forhandling freight wherein the freight sstored in removable bodies or containers which may be transferred to andfrom automobile trucks. v

In handling freight by such a system it desirable to adaptthe apparatusto ex st-- ing structures without requiring extensive changes to be madein the construction of warehouses, platforms or runways achaccntthereto. The height of a removable container which has been found togive most satisfactory results in handling fre ght, and the desirableamount of lift, precludes sufficient head room within the averagewarehouse or freight station for the use of standard traveling cranes.It is one of the oljects of my invention to obviate the necessity forexpensive alterations to provide space or strength to render existingstructures safe for handling loaded containers by means of an overheadcrane.

One of the features of. my invention therefore, is the provision of acrane which possesses a minimum depth, yet w ll haye sufficient power toraise a loaded container in the form of a removable body and transportit alongan overhead trackway to or from a truck. Thus the crane may besatisfactorily used in existing warehouses, or freight stations, withoutaltering the building construction, and without interfering with thenormalfiow of traffic within the station. A

The means for carrying out my invention, is illustrated in the preferredform in the ac companyiiig drawings, wherein F g. 1s a plan view of acrane embodying my invention and showing one position of thesupplemental frame with reference to. the main frame .Zis a similar viewshow ng the supplemental frame in a different posit on from that shownin Fig. 1; F ig. 3 1s a side elevation of the ranqlfi s. 4 to 6 aresections taken on. an enlarged scale on planes indicated ,by the lines-44 to respectively in Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the supplementalframe apart from the ma n frame, and Fig. 8 a section on an enlargedscale indicated by the line 88 in My invention is shown in connectionwith 12, 1925. Serial No. 8,680.

an overhead hoisting mechanism whichis employed-for engaging, rais ingand transporting removable automobile bodies. Accordingly, in thevarious figureslO indicates a set of overhead tracks along which wheels11, journalled with an overhead crane, are adapted to travel. The craneasillustrated comprises amainframe and asupplemental frame, which ismounted within and is arranged to be turned with reference to the mainframe. 7 The supplemental frame can ries load engaging and hoistingmechanism, wherefore a load may be engaged raised and turned withreference to the main frame and then transported along the trackway.

The main frame in the preferred form comprises longitudinally extendingmembers 12 and transversely extendingmembers 13 which are arranged inthe form of a rectangle. The frame work preferably c0ni A rises channelbeams which are held together in any suitable manner and which are ofsuch size as may be necessary to support the load. The, main frame asshown has a curved trackway 20 in the form of an endless beam. Aninwardly extending flange on the beam supports wheels 43 which arejournalled in the supplemental frame. To propel the mainframe along thetrackway, I have illustrated one pair of wheels 11 as being operativelyconnected gears S and 9 to a motor 23. The motor preferably isreversible wherefore thefdirection of movement of the main rmm flmay bedetermined by the direction of rotation of the motor. p

The supplemental frame is indicated as having longitudinal members 40,which are connected at the ends by transverse mem bers 41, and arearranged to support wheels 43. which travel on the curyed trackway. Theaxes of thewheels extend radially of the trackway wherefore the,supplemental frame may be turned a complete revolution withreferencetothe main frame. V

The supplemental frame supp rts the hoisting mechanism.which isillustrated c p si e flexible load engagi g members 50, 51,- 52 and 53which extend over sheaves 54, 55, 56, and respectively, The sheavestherefore are arranged to define a rectangle wherefore the cables mayengage a removable automobile body at; four points. Morem ne sheavesarenear. the radialsupporting wheels, wherefore the size of the'supplemental frame is determined by the dis tance between the sheaves,which in turn s controlledby the size of the automobile body in whichthe load is carried.

To raise and lower the cables as a unit, 1 have shown a drum which ismounted for rotation upon a vertically extending shaft 61. The shaft isindicated as being supported in beams 62 and 63 which extend across thesupplemental frame. One end of each flexible raising member or cable isarranged to be attached to the drum wherefore rotation of the drum inone direction causes the cables to be wound in simultaneously, whilerotation of the drum in the opposite direction enables the cables to bepayed out simultaneously.

To rotate the drum, I have indicated an electric motor 64 which iscarried by the supplemental frame and which is connected by gearing 65to a shaft 45. A member 66 splined to the shaft and forming theshiftable member of a dog clutch may be used for effecting rotation ofshaft 67 through the medium of a driven clutch member 68 tight on thatshaft. The shaft 67 is indicated as having a worm 69 connected with aworm wheel 70 on shaft 71. A pinion 72 on the shaft 71 meshes with acircular rack 73 mounted on the drum. The worm and worm wheel connectionprovide a lock for suspending the load when the motor drive isdisconnected.

The clutch sleeve 66 is also adapted to be moved-out of engagement withthe clutch member 68, and to engage a clutch member 74 which is rigidwith 'a gear 75. This gear.

meshes with a gear 76 on a shaft 77, whereby one of the wheels 43rigidly mounted on the shaft 77 is rotated whenever the gear 7 5 isturned. Since the motor 64 can be a reversible motor, then the directionof rotation of th supplemental frame can be controlled at will.

By employing a drum which has a relatively large diameter, then onerevolution of the drum is ordinarily sufficient to raise the load themaximum distance. This permits the use of a narrow drum and provides acrane frame having a short overall depth. Accordingly the crane may beemployed in low buildings without necessitating extensive changes in theconstruction thereof. More over the drum leaves ample space in thesupplemental frame for the installation of mechanism to turn thesupplemental frame and'to actuate the hoisting apparatus. Thus,

I obtain a crane which is quite simple in' construction and which isdurable in use.

.Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a crane, the combination with a main frame, of a supplementalframe rotatably carried by the main frame, a drum mountedfor rotationupon a vertical axle coincident with the axis of rotation of thesupplemental frame, and load engaging members leading from the drum.

2. In a crane, the combination with a frame, of ajdrum mounted torotateupon a vertical axis within the frame, and flexible load engagingmembers leading from the drum to four points on the frame spacedrespectively at the four corners of a rectangle.

3. In a crane, the combination with a frame, of sheaves rotatablymounted upon. the frame and disposed adjacent the corners of arectangle, a drum mounted upon a vertical axis within the frame, andflexible load engaging members leading from thedrum and extendingdownwardly from the frame so as to engage the-load at four points.

4. In a crane, the combination with a main frame, of a supplementalframe rotatable therein, 'a drum mounted to rotate upon a vertical axiswithin the supplemental frame, and flexible load engaging membersleading from the drum to spaced points on the supplemental frame.

5. The combination with a main frame, of a supplemental frame travelingsubstantially within the upper and lower confines of the main frame, oneof said frames having an endless trackway and the other having rollerscoacting therewith, a vertically positioned drum within the supplementalframe, cables leading from the drum and extending downwardly from thesupplemental frame, and means for rotating the drum to wind 1n or payout the cables simultaneously.

loo

6. In a crane, the combination with a main frame having an endlesstrackway thereon, of a supplemental framehaving wheels riding on thetrackway, a drum mounted for rotation upon a vertical axis within thesupplemental frame, cables leading outwardly fromthe drum to spacedpoints on the supplemental frame, the drum having such size that themaximum lift of the cables may be accomplished by substantially acomplete revolution of the drum.

7. In acrane the combination with a main frame, of a supplemental framemounted for rotation within the main frame, a drum mounted. for rotationupon a vertical axis within the supplemental frame and adapted to berotated independently of the supplemental frame, sheaves carried by thesupplemental frame and disposed adjacent the corners of a rectangle,cables each having one end attached to the drum and leading outwardlyover one of the sheaves, and means on the supplemental frame forrotating it with reference to the main frame and for rotating the drum.

8. In a crane, the combination with a rotatable frame of a drum mountedto rotate upon a vertical axis coincident with the axis of rotation ofthe frame, cables leading from the drum to spaced points on the frame,said drum having gear teeth associated therewith, a pinion meshing withsaid teeth and means on the frame for rotating said pinion.

9. In a crane, the combination with a frame of sheaves carried therebyand disposed adjacent the corners of a rectangle, a drum mounted forrotation upon a vertical axis adjacent the mid-portion of the frame,cables leading outwardly from the drum over the respective sheaves andadapted to engage and suspend a load, the drum having gear teeth on theunderside thereof, a pinion meshing with said teeth, an electric motormounted on the frame and operat-ively connected to i l-3 pinion, therebeing a worm and worm wheel connection between the motor and pinion, thepitch of the worm teeth being such that a load suspended from the cablesis prevented from rotating the drum when the motor is stopped.

10. In a crane, the combination with a main frame having a curvedtrackway carried thereby and disposed within planes defining the top andbottom of the main frame, a supplemental frame, wheels carried therebyand engaging the curved trackway, a drum mounted upon a vertical axisfor rotation within the supplemental frame and adjacent the mid-portionthereof, cables leading outwardly from the drum to spaced points on thesupplemental frame, an electric motor mounted on the supplemental frame,means for selectively effecting an operative connection between themotor and the drum, said means including mechanism for also effecting anoperative connection be tween the motor and one of said wheels, wherebythe supplemental frame may be turned independently of said drum.

11. In a crane, the combination with a main frame adapted to travel onan overhead trackway, an endless trackway carried by the main frame, asupplemental frame having wheels traveling on the trackway, thesupplemental frame being disposed within planes which define the top andbottom of the main frame, a drum mounted for rotation upon a verticalaxis within the supplemental frame, sheaves carried by the supplementalframe and disposed adjacent the corners of a rectangle, cables leadingoutwardly from the drum and extending downwardly from the said sheavesfor engaging a load at four points, the diameter of said drum being suchthat the maximum lift can be attained on substantially one completerevolution of the drum, said drum having gear teeth associatedtherewith, a pinion meshing with said teeth, an electric motor carriedby the supplemental frame, manually operable means for effecting aselective engagement either between the motor and said pinion to rotatethe drum, or between the motor and one of said wheels to turn thesupplemental frame with reference to the main frame.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

BENJAMIN F. FITCH.

